Impact Of Globalization On Religious Fundamentalism

Impact of Globalization on Religious Fundamentalism

Question:

Discuss About The Social Economic Well Being Of All Nations?

The today’s world has embraced the element of globalization in the attempt to improve the political, social and economic well-being of all nations. Globalization mostly goes hand in hand with the advancement in technology spreading to all corners of the world for high benefits of member countries because of increased idea sharing and cohesion. In the past, there were littler concerns regarding globalization as individual nations focused on building their own countries without requiring any external assistance. For that matter, some of the European countries notably Germany had already made a wall that apparently indicated self-contention hence proving globalization unworthy. Nevertheless, globalization has currently been one of the topics for discussion owing to the many benefits underlying it as far as the progress of individual nations is concerned. In the same way, financial fundamentalism has emerged to take care of the protectionism concerning personal and group beliefs. Evaluation of relation between globalization and religious fundamentalism will play an integral role in understanding the subject.

Undoubtedly, globalization has contributed to the growth of religious fundamentalism. As a rule, Christianity and Islamic religion form the basis for religious divide each being driven by varying beliefs that collectively guide the lives of the people (Williams, 1970). Concisely, religious fundamentalism seeks to hold on to traditions and cultural concerns that are defined by sacred nature of gods and prophets who are believed to give right directions to the followers. Long before globalization, particular religious views had not gained strong grips to the extent of sacrificing efforts towards protecting the sacred nature of the beliefs at the disposal. On the other hand, things have changed in such a way that believers have to protect their religions in spite of the sacrifices that people will make to bring everything to normal. With globalization in place, the religion such as Islam has grown to a level of triggering terror among in individual target nations (Wilkins?Laflamme, 2016). To put it more simply, it is worth noting that religious fundamentalism entails incurring whichever costs by the followers to ensure their religion is followed to the latter. That is, use of violence and other related means can apply as ways to contain secularization, a factor that has soiled up the actual meaning of particular religious views. For example, the formation of United Nations organization serves as the best example through which globalization prevails. Similarly, as the nation continues to unite for economic prosperity, the same case applies to the strengthening of collective believes among involved nations. According to Emerson and Hartman (2006), United States of America, Russia and other members of United Nations are well known for their military superiority that is employed to curb civil wars on certain grounds. Surprisingly, globalizations imply that the target religious states such as Iraq and Iran have the potential to amass firm support from their Islamic counterparts to fight a common enemy. As a result, terrorism has been witnessed in the warring nations as a way of signaling anger. The beliefs that certain religions hold are dangerous in that followers tend to literary uphold the teachings while condemning those who do not follow suit (Tsing, 2009). Commonly, most of the Islamic members are found in Asia whereby they strictly follow the directives of the Quran and doing all they can to wipe those who object those specifications. As countries continue to form a common pool of resources through globalization, religious fundamentalism goes on to gain grips as nations with shared religious knowledge form a sound basis for protectionism.

Growth of Religious Fundamentalism

Xue and Chan (2013) posit that the growth of religious fundamentalism can be said to have succeeded in a bid to counteract the spread of globalization. Amazingly, globalization comes with new lifestyles that if absorbed by the people around the globe, the traditions and beliefs of the people will be neglected. In the beginning, many communities believed in one God who was supposed to be the creator of heaven and earth. Surprisingly, globalization has come to integrate people and have them share views that collectively show them different directions. In some cases, Christians are trying their level best to curb modernity by incredibly spreading the word of God and condemning other forms of religions that have emerged because of globalization (Giddens, 2011). The Jehovah witness, on the other hand, is firm believers of the biblical teachings condemning certain actions that Christians and Islamic members do such as blood transfusion. Right after globalization had taken place, the Jehovah witness beliefs seem to have stepped to a higher level to contain the other religions that do not hold the same beliefs. Another example of fundamentalism that tends to have been triggered by the globalization is the seventh day Adventists. The seventh day Adventist has spread with the coming of globalization whereby the followers condemn other Christians for going against the law of God based on the best day of rest (Ireland, 1992). In fact, there is a literary quoting of the bible by the seventh day Adventists that whoever does not follow the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Through globalization, many seventh day followers have been able to spread the message while strongly condemning other Christians. Such an act is fundamentalism in itself that can be well explained by understanding the emergence of globalization.

Turner and Holton (2015, claim that it is evident that globalization has played a great role in the growth of religious fundamentalism. As an illustration, globalization takes into account the use of the worldwide web, a platform that brings together all people around the world. Under such a circumstance, people from all over the world can comfortably interact and share their religious views to come up with an absolute idea. The interaction of Christians implies that they will support Christian views that are biblical (Lechner & Boli, 2014). On the other hand, Muslims will try their level best to amass many followers through the online platform such as Facebook and twitter whereby people specifically young operations is enticed with money to join the recruitment process. The belief in mujahideen is an apparent show of how serious Islamic religion is treated concerning the holy war that is expected to deliver them from slavery. Recently, there have been cases of recruitment of al-Qaida, the same people who have been suspected to be the real bombers in the United States of America. Stevanovi? and Djurdjevic (2017) posit that the tendency of individuals to access the internet is a clear implication of how cruel globalization is becoming to support the growth of religious fundamentalism. The cult religion has also grown using the internet. The connectedness nature of the people of the internet exposes them to the critical information required for them to join the sect group such as Illuminati. Indeed, Illuminati members practice their fundamentalism through engaging in sacrifices of nonmembers, a practice that seems to have spread thoroughly through the worldwide web.

Religion and Globalization

Research carried out by Turner (2016) show that globalization has contributed to the condemnation of Darwinian Theory of evolution and replaced it with the spread of Christianity, Islam, and Jewish culture. The truth of the matter is that no denomination would allow any form of criticism directed to the beliefs they have at hand. In that case, the share d knowledge through integration of nations around the globe acts as a spearheaded towards strengthening religious views of individual countries that must be protected. An excellent example of religious fundamentalism is book Haram, al-Qaida, and ISIS who are still fighting Americans and other nations that are believed to fuel western civilization. In that way, if at all western civilization is allowed, the plight of Islamic traditions will be at risk. As can be expected, globalization is the mother of religious fundamentalism such that fighting the so-called terrorism will apparently become impossible since the terror group is motivated to protect their religious beliefs stably through national and international cohesion (Cooper, 2014). To understand the concept clearly, it is critical to note that Al-Qaida is not an Islamic group situated only in Iraq but a chain of followers from all over the world whose core agenda is to fight for independence and spread of Islamic religion. It is crucial to note that before globalization, existing religions around the globe did not have intentions to spread their views internationally indicating low levels of envy at that time. However, globalization opens the door for existing religions to exercise their dominance in a bid to cull unwanted beliefs that tend to define sacredness differently. For example, the assassination of Indira Gandhi elucidates the extent by which globalization can compel various religions to consider self-perfection. Away from Muslim and Christianity view, Buddhism religion evident mostly in china and Japan has resulted to the growing of differing ideologies between the two countries because of globalization (Sand?kc?, Peterson, Ekici & Simkins, 2016). Following this further, there has been the great collision between the Soka Gakkai and Jainism form of Buddhism due to the difference in advocacy of peace and support for violence.

It is true that religious fundamentalism has made it hard for globalization to achieve set goals and objectives. As earlier mentioned that globalization aims to adhere to technological developments, no any form of technical progress can be experienced in countries filled with the fundamentalist mindset. Naturally, a country holding on to fundamentalism is always at the forefront in curbing globalization (Ghosh, Chan, Manuel & Dilimulati, 2017). For example, it is rare to find a Muslim dominated country indicating the high level of technological progress since they believe that allowing foreigners into their lands is a way of civilization and another form of colonization. Consequently, fundamentalists are always on toes to show their might through wars in an attempt to safeguard their religion. However, there is fundamentalist such as those found in Dubai whose aim is to spread peace. In such a place, it is possible to find a green light of economic progress contrary to the country such as Saudi Arabia that does not take the well-being of foreigners seriously. One of the most important considerations that fundamentalists have in mind is the capability of their religion to convert as many people as possible without marketing resistance based on their unwavering faith. Mostly, developed nations enhance globalization by contributing to the enhancement of infrastructure and improvement of agriculture. Surprisingly, fundamentalists do not have time for developments rather than preparations for war concerning those intruders with different religious ideologies.

In conclusion, both globalization and growth of religious fundamentalism are related in one way or the other. In fact, globalization seems to have more influence on the growth of religious fundamentalism than the other way round. Currently, only a small number of nations that have allowed globalization to take control of economic developments in the fear that it will erode their religious morals. However, religious fundamentalism also influences globalization in that warring nations for the sake of religion do not seem to condone technological and other forms of progress brought about by globalization. Precisely, effective integration of globalization with fundamentalism is the only way political progress will be achieved.

References

Cooper, T. W. (2014). Fundamentalism: Prophecy and Protest in an Age of Globalization by Torkel Brekke, Cambridge University Press: New York, 2012, vii+ 291 pp. ISBN 978-0-521-76625-8, US 99.00(hardback);ISBN978-0-521-14979-2,US 29.99 (paperback).

Emerson, M. O., & Hartman, D. (2006). The rise of religious fundamentalism. Annu. management. Sociol., 32, 127-144.

Ghosh, R., Chan, W. A., Manuel, A., & Dilimulati, M. (2017). Can education counter violent religious extremism?. Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, 23(2), 117-133.

Giddens, A. (2011). Runaway world. Profile books.

Ireland, R. (1992). Kingdoms come: religion and politics in Brazil. University of Pittsburgh Pre.

Lechner, F. J., & Boli, J. (Eds.). (2014). The globalization reader. John Wiley & Sons.

Sand?kc?, Ö., Peterson, M., Ekici, A., & Simkins, T. (2016). Development and quality of life in turkey: how globalization, religion, and economic growth influence individual well-being. Journal of Macromarketing, 36(3), 304-320.

Stevanovi?, M., & Djurdjevic, D. (2017). CHALLENGE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY IN CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION OF NEOLIBERAL FUNDAMENTALISM. TEME, 177-191.

Tsing, A. (2009). Supply chains and the human condition. marketing Marxism, 21(2), 148-176.

Turner, B. S. (Ed.). (2016). The new Blackwell companion to the sociology of religion. John Wiley & Sons.

Turner, B. S., & Holton, R. J. (Eds.). (2015). The Routledge international handbook of globalization studies. Routledge.

Wilkins?Laflamme, S. (2016). The remaining core: a fresh look at religiosity trends in Great Britain. The British journal of sociology, 67(4), 632-654.

Williams, B. (1970). The self and the future. The Philosophical Review, 79(2), 161-180.

Xue, H., & Chan, A. (2013). The global value chain: value for whom? The soccer ball industry in China and Pakistan. Critical Asian Studies, 45(1), 55-77.